Asia Cup PIX: India lose to Sri Lanka; on brink of elimination

Images from the Asia Cup Super Four match between India and Sri Lanka in Dubai on Tuesday.

• Scorecard

Defending champions India are on the brink of elimination after they suffered a six-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka in their Super Four match of the Asia Cup in Dubai on Tuesday.

The result left India at the mercy of the other teams to have a chance of making it to the final. It also meant that India skipper Rohit Sharma's scintillating 41-ball 72 went in vain, as the islanders completed a stunning chase of 174 with a ball to spare.

Needing 21 from 12 balls, Sri Lanka scored 14 runs off the 19th over bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, almost sealing it in their favour.

India will be knocked out of the tournament if Pakistan beat Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Chasing what looked like a par score at the innings break, the Sri Lankans were off to a blazing start with openers Kusal Mendis (57 off 37 balls) and Pathum Nissanka (52 off 37 balls) putting on 91 runs at nearly nine per over.

The fifty was up in the sixth over with both batters regularly finding the gaps and the boundaries with consummate ease, putting tremendous pressure on the Indian bowling attack that looked clueless against the positive approach adopted by the two Lankan batters.

However, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal had other ideas as he struck twice in the 12th over to put the brakes on Sri Lanka's march.

Ravichandran Ashwin sent back Danushka Gunathilaka (1) to leave Sri Lanka in a spot of bother at 110/3 in the 14th over.

In the first ball of the next over, Sri Lanka suffered a body blow as Chahal got the big wicket of Mendis, who was trapped lbw in front of the wicket.

But skipper Dasun Shanaka (33 not out from 18 balls) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (25 not out from 17 balls) staged a stunning assault, as they put on an unbroken stand 64 runs from just 35 balls for the fifth wicket to take Sri Lanka to a famous win.

Earlier, Rohit led by example with his fine knock.

Rohit blazed away after India lost two early wickets, hitting five fours and four sixes during his entertaining knock. He was well supported by Suryakumar Yadav (34 off 29 balls) during a stand of 97 runs for the third wicket.

However, Rohit's dismissal triggered a slide as India could add only 63 runs after being well-placed at 110/3 in the 13th over.

Sri Lanka were off to a dream start as they removed opener KL Rahul (6) and one-down Virat Kohli (0) in quick succession, leaving defending champions India in early trouble at 13 for two in the third over.

Right after getting a boundary with a lofted drive over extra over, Rahul was trapped in front of the wicket by off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana's arm ball in the second over of the game.

Having failed to connect with the ball after coming down the wicket, Rahul had opted for a review but it did not go his way as replays showed the ball going on to hit the leg stump.

In came Kohli, only for the Indian star to walk back to the dressing room after facing four deliveries for his zero, bowled by left-arm fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka attempting to swing across the line.

However, Rohit continued to bat with positive intent and kept the scoreboard moving at a healthy rate.

Fast-medium bowler Asitha Fernando was introduced into the attack, and Rohit smashed him for a six and a four off successive balls as 14 runs came in the fifth over.

The Indian captain then hit Theekshana for a four over square leg, helping India score 44 runs in the six powerplay overs.

Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and Karunaratne then bowled a couple of tight overs, succeeding in containing the duo of Rohit and Suryakumar Yadav.

Meanwhile, Rohit (40) was dropped at extra cover off Hasaranga's bowling.

Suryakumar brought up his first boundary after playing 12 balls, which was also India's first after a quiet period.

In the next over, Rohit took advantage of his reprieve and whipped Asitha Fernando over deep square-leg for a six, and then reached his half-century with a four.

Suryakumar also got into the act, striking Madushanka for a maximum. It was then again Rohit's turn to get a six as the Indian captain danced down the wicket to loft Hasaranga over long-on. He followed that up with a four and then another six.

However, Karunaratne dismissed Rohit in the next over with a slower one.

India struggled in the end overs, losing quick wickets at the end. Hardik Pandya (17), Rishabh Pant (17), Deepak Hooda (3) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0) perished in quick succession as India lost four wickets for 24 runs from the last 15 balls.